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Recap: My QVC Visit & Product Picks!

Hi everyone! (That's really what I'm saying in the screenshot above!) It's hard to believe that one week ago I was out in West Chester, Pennsylvania, visiting QVC! I know I've posted some pictures here and there and commented about what I was working on, but I wanted to do a little journal-ish blog post for the fellow QVC fans who want the inside scoop!! :) So I'll take you through my (brief) experience from start to finish! I flew from St. Louis to Philadelphia last Thursday evening, and then had a 30 minute ride to West Chester. I didn't really get to explore but it seems like a very cool college town... and then there's the big campus of QVC! Jessica is on QVC's social media team, and she picked me up at my hotel early Friday morning so I could see QVC's studio... since our shoot that afternoon was actually happening at another location! It was so nice of her to offer to show me around!

We were greeted by head videographer, Phil! He actually went around with us, getting some video as we explored the grounds. I didn't know that this was happening, so I'm glad I went ahead and had my makeup done! My hair was waiting to be done by the stylist at the shoot. By the way, Phil was awesome. Nice, funny, and complimented my videos-- which meant a LOT coming from a pro! He was very encouraging and helpful all day. Anyway, we walked up to the building which was just massive and beautiful!

So... I brought some really cute shoes to wear to the shoot, but wore my comfy sandals for the tour (I have a bunion, you know). They weren't stylish enough for one of my YouTube commenters, but I didn't know how much walking was involved! And I ended up keeping those puppies on all day long (my feet thank me). Jessica took me through the hallways and the desk where anyone and everyone coming on air at QVC checks in. QVC is on 24/7, so there are always people manning that desk. The first familiar face I spotted in that area was Angel (she is the guest that's on during the Quackers clothing shows!)- she's just as sweet as you'd expect! I also saw QVC host Sharon walking around meeting with people. Phil was telling me about some of the celebrities he'll randomly run into in those hallways- so crazy! Then- were were just one door away from the studio!

Let me just say... HUGE HUGE HUGE. You know all the different backdrops there are for QVC shows (living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, etc)? Well, just picture a giant place that houses all of those- one right after the other. Whenever I watch news or any program, really, I always imagine that the people are somewhere small or more closed-off. In reality, it's a large, wide-open space filled with thousands of lights, lots of cameras, and in QVC's case- STUFF. Hallways and sets that weren't currently on air were kind of like staging areas for products that would be featured soon. In the pic above, I was being told about how things got organized, cleaned up, and arranged just-so for live TV.

On a set that wasn't currently in use, Jessica told me what a host sees when they're on air. See those cameras pointed toward us? Those are just a couple of the many un-manned, robotic cameras that are capturing what we, the QVC viewers, are watching at home. Of course, someone in a control room is telling those cameras exactly what to do! :) The host also has not one, but two monitors to look at. The one on the left is what's live on air at the moment, and the one on the right is the NEXT shot that the director plans to put up on live TV. I suppose this helps the host stay a step ahead of the game- knowing what kind of shot is coming next that they should be referencing.

Forget trying to act like a cool kid... I'm pretty sure my jaw was dropped throughout this whole tour. I was totally in awe as I stood in the midst of this impressive, high tech environment. My fellow technology geeks-- you understand! :) Phil and his partner in crime CJ had me stand just off the set that was currently LIVE on the air! That's host Jayne Brown up there- being a total pro as I was having a little kid freak-out moment about how cool this was. There were just a couple of cameras in this large space that were being operated by people... the robotic cameras were also moving about. Gotta say, the hosts make their jobs seem easy- but they have a lot of things to be thinking about, and they just have to have such an awareness of how the things they're showing are coming off on camera. Plus, I'm pretty sure there's a producer talking in their earpiece all the while. Respect.

Then we moved on to another area that housed the beauty sets! You know the white brick and window-type backdrops? This is that spot! On the other side of the glass, they have a little salon area with lighted mirrors and tables. Sometimes during beauty shows, they'll cut to this area showing the models being prepped to go on air. While it's totally lit and studio-like, Jessica said that this is really a functional area that gets used a lot for the beauty shows. There was nothing on air in this area at the time, but Jessica and the gang were nice enough to turn on the lights and show me what it looked like. They seriously gave me the royal treatment and couldn't have been nicer. Plus I don't think they judged me for being a giddy goofball! :)

Then it was time to do some beauty videos! We headed out to a gorgeous house on a hill that QVC sometimes uses for special projects like this. When we pulled up and I saw that it took several large vans to tote in all the people/equipment required for this shoot- I was immediately kind of intimidated! As I said, I already had my makeup done and it was still holding up nicely, so Adrienne did my hair. She (smartly) pinned one side away from my face so it wouldn't be getting in the way as I did my tutorials. Adrienne was so great, and it was fun to chat with her about favorite products and listen to her stories in the bit of down-time we had! Also during this time, I talked with Jessica and Brian (the director of this project), about what kinds of fall trends we should spotlight, what products should be used, and which lovely lady should have which look.

Then we actually shot the videos outside! It was a little cool at the start, but very calm and great lighting. Here I'm getting my microphone put on, and I don't know what the heck that huge grin is all about! Maybe it's the refreshingly cold microphone pack that's just been clipped to my bra! LOL :) No, wait- I'm smiling because I'm in Pennsylvania shooting beauty videos with a crew that consists of more than just ME! :) And they all seem like total pros and perfectionists. I actually remember feeling pretty darn nervous at this point. My videos are normally me, one camera, and maybe one light. For this, there were half a dozen people with several cameras, lights, headsets, monitors, etc. Oh yeah, and my cue to start talking was Brian literally saying "Action!" (Which translated in my mind to- you're not alone anymore, don't screw it up!)

QVC host Gabrielle was my partner for my first video! Makeup artist Adrienne prepped her and gave her a pretty cat eye. My job was demonstrate the fall trend of the matte lip! You can actually see this video and my others at QVC.com's Fall into Beauty section. Once I started talking, I really felt right at home. Gabrielle was gorgeous, nice, and made me feel at-ease. I was told that these would be fairly quick videos, so I made sure to keep my explanations clear and concise. I tried to break down my how-to's into easy to remember and understand steps. The gang really gave me free reign to explain things the way I wanted to though, which was nice!

By the way, when I was getting up in the middle of the night to get ready for the morning news, I would often turn on QVC (always live, baby!) to have a little something to listen to! Gabrielle was often on air in those early hours, so I kind of felt like I "knew" her before technically meeting her. She's just awesome an an absolute pro! Thanks for letting me apply your red lips, Gabrielle!

The other ladies that I got to do looks on were Audrey and Sharon from MomGenerations.com. Sharon is Audrey's mom! What amazing women. So smart, kind, and incredibly nice to me! They were prepped by Adrienne, and did a great little interview with Gabrielle (You can also see this on QVC's site- along with the how-to videos!) Meanwhile I brainstormed exactly what products I wanted to use for their looks. Jessica and I pawed through a lot of different QVC products that were provided, and fortunately, I was familiar with these items and knew what would give the best look for the specific trends that were outlined. We all had a delicious lunch, and then set up for the last two looks. Even though it was a lot of equipment to tear down and set up again, I loved how we moved to different areas to shoot each look. Again, the crew was awesome!

On Sharon, I did a very soft, smokey eye using the 12-shadow palette from IT Cosmetics. It went great- and thanks to Sharon for being so pleased with the end result!! :) As I was applying the product, I tried to keep in mind where the cameras were... I was trying to get the product where I wanted it, without getting myself in the way of the shot. It's kind of tricky!

Then on Audrey, we moved to another location and did the Copper Glow trend- which is something that's suitable for eyes and cheeks. Again, Audrey's face was already prepped, and I used the Mally Shadow Stick in Champagne and the IT Cosmetics palette to get a glowy/metallic look on the lids, and Laura Geller baked Blush in Sunswept on the cheeks. Since I knew these video would be short, I tried to really simplify the look into just a few very basic steps that could still give the look we were after. All of these shoots went so well- I'm thankful I didn't trip over my words too much, and I had three beautiful women to work with... I mean, they already looked awesome to begin with!

Then we shot one extra video where I was able to pick out some of my own personal QVC favorites to share! Kind of like an "Editor's Picks" type of thing. If you've been watching my channel for very long, you've probably heard me talk about these products before! :)

And this "Behind the Scenes" clip shows my whole day in a nutshell! :) Thanks to the QVC gang for shooting and editing this for me!

Me, Sharon, Audrey, and Jessica!

What an amazing day! Again, to check out all of the how-to videos and the Mom Generations interview, as well as some special deals, check out QVC.com's Fall into Beauty section! Thank you again to QVC for inviting me to take part in this special project. It was incredibly exciting for me as a QVC fan as well as a lover of all things beauty! Thanks to anyone who made it to the end of my epic blog post!! :) Have a great weekend!

Comments

Addressing critical YouTube comments in your blog posts really detract from the positivity of your experience. You're almost 30. If someone didn't like your shoes, most people your age would dismiss it. You have the right to defend yourself against truly vicious attacks, but this just makes you seem small and petty.

eek! sorry about that! I really wasn't taking that comment very seriously- just using it as a means to talk about my shoes/the amount of walking involved in such a big place and it kind of popped into my head. I'm not sure if you'll think it's small & petty that I'm acknowledging your critique, but I guess I'll risk it! Have a good weekend :)

Oh Emily, Is this your mother? How sweet that's she has come to YOUR blog to give you a refresher course on your manners. You have nothing to apologize for...I'm fairly certain that most of us knew exactly what you meant with your shoe comment. There are far more important things in this world to worry about then how you conduct yourself on your blog where everyone is free to leave if the content so offends. Have a great weekend Emily..You did a fabulous job!

I enjoyed the entire post, including your remark about the negative comments on your shoes, but I thought it was a light way to address the comment while still making the issue laughable. Really people, yall are focused on shoes when she was visiting QVC OH MY GOODNESS PEOPLE focus on what matters here! Emily got a tour of QVC! amazeballs!

I think I actually made that comment about those shoes. I have guts to admit that. But I didnt say it in a bad way. I really didn't like those shoes and I said it like I always tweet Emily about how good she is but she never mentions that in her blog post. I'm truly Your well wisher Emily and I never meant to hurt your feelings im so sorry if I did though. And yes im still happy that you had such an amazing experience. I always knew one day you would do something with QVC. Thats so your area.

oh goodness! Hira I'm pretty sure it wasn't your comment that I was referring to!! I don't think I caught your comment. Either way-- I don't take personal offense to anyone's shoe preferences- I actually kind of thought it was funny that in a one minute video anyone would even take much notice of my shoes, but it's all good!! thankful for your viewership!

Emily , I do not think you are small and petty for being real and in a light hearted but stil not harsh manner addressing negativity . You choose to be who you are and it's okay for you to once in a while rant about negativity . Some beauty gurus on youtube actually make rant videos ( yes they are over thirty BTW) . You are entitled to your opinions and you have a right to air them just as people are free to air their responses to them ! You are human and that's what makes us love you as you dont choose to be someone youa re not for the sake of popularity. It actually shows us that you care, that you read our responses and acknowledge both the bouquets and the brickbats with the same unmistakeable , enchanting grace and dignity that makes you who you are . Caroline , I agree with you regd emily's response . Emily

thank you for your understanding! I try to not take myself too seriously & always appreciate it when my viewers are able to "lighten up" along with me! :) Thanks for your kindness and I'm so grateful to see that you "get" me. Have a great day!

Omgosh Emily its like having a member of the family get the royal tour. Am so excited for you!! Honestly I cant believe they didnt offer you a job on the spot...but I guess I should be glad they didnt cuz I gotta work and staying up late watching you on QVC would cut into sleep time...worse yet if you were on during working hours I would be so annoyed! Jeez i have seriously over thunk this havent I? Anyway so happppyyyy for you an well deserved!!

When a woman as beautiful, talented, successful as you is going so well in her life, and getting so much good happening to you, envious people surface to do negative comments, just because they're jealous.Your age has nothing to do with the shoes thing you decided to joke about, so, maybe because you're so young and making it big, is what makes some soo mad. You answered really well, and whoever doesn't like it, go read some other blog instead, because this blog is read only by people who admire and love Emily.

You are super talented. My thoughts on this entire thing is that if someone doesn't like something you do then they can suck it. ;) Anyway, again, I love what you do, and QVC is my go to spot to order makeup. I am so happy to see you with them!!

Hi Emily, I am 23 yrs old with a mature soul, I like to think (hehe) but people will always have something negative to say, no matter if a persons perfect and flawless they will always find something negative to comment about. You are my make believe big sister guru, I have learned so much from you and so happy that you have all these great experiences. Your a beautiful person inside and out. ♥

Emily, I'm glad you had a fantastic time and this is so you! I love it! I've been a fan for such a long time and I know that by saying that someone commented on your shoes you weren't being petty. It was simply something that caught your attention and you gave an explanation! Given the amount of walking, I can't blame you one bit :)

Could this be a case of "walk a mile in my shoes"? I so enjoyed watching the QVC videos with you tonight! You fit right in with all the TV beauty grandeur. It's so good of you to share your experiences with the rest of us.

I loved your entire blog post about your experience. I could definitely hear your voice and how happy you were to get the experience to visit QVC and then come tell us about it. You're one of those people where you have the ability to spread your happiness onto others and make them feel happy. Truly, you are my favorite Youtuber because you're always so joyful and happy as well as informative and concise. I'm so happy that you've been getting to experience so many new opportunities (Meet & Greets and QVC) and I wish you many more.

Its crazy that a lot of these comments are about shoes. Its people making a big deal out of nothing! She was clearly joking around! Shes one of the sweetest and real person on youtube in my opinion! Keep up the great work!

Hello Emily! I think this is the first time i'm commenting (or maybe not, i really can't remember but anyway it's been a long time)! I think the fact that you had this experience really shows how amazing you are. This post was really nice and i think it's really sweet of you to share all of this with your fans and subscribers! I did watch the videos in the QVC website and you definitly sounded like a pro, not tripping over your words at all, and showing that beauty and makeup is something that really comes naturally to you (i hope you understand what i mean!) and that's amazing! I'm really happy for you and wish you all the best (and yay for comfy shoes ;) !

Loved reading about your experience Em! I'm in the UK so we won't see you on QVC (we have different products) and I wondered if you will be recording your self on TV, could you please up load it to your YT channel so peeps like me came watch? Please, please, please?

Emily, I just have to say that I LOVE reading your blog and watching your videos! You are always so helpful and sincere! I've been following you for years, and can't help but smile when I see your blog or videos!

What made me grin is the fact that you, with all your Real Television experience as a News Anchor, got all giddy about the cameras, the sets, etc... Can you imagine if someone without your extensive television background had to do these videos? They would have been scared to death! lol!

Keep up the awesome job and don't change a bit, I love you just the way you are!

I so enjoyed this post. On the one hand, I was so excited for you, I just know you will be on QVC someday, but on the other I am afraid Emily will get all famous and not be so in touch with her viewers/readers....Then I remember who I am talking about and realize that will never happen! And as far as the shoes go, I am 31 years old and a little sad that year by year my heels get closer and closer to the ground, and here lately all I have worn is flats. The unfortunate thing is they just do not make cute comfortable shoes, but I figure I am married, happy and loved so who gives a crap about my shoes? Love the blog and your you tube channel, and you!

What an awesome experience! I'm a big QVC fan myself. I love picking up mostly beauty, but occasionally jewelry and handbags. Lisa R is fun to watch, though not everyone is a fan. I think she is great. She could just about sell garbage, haha!

Hi em, thank you for sharing this with us. I'm so happy for you. I know you love Qvc you mention them alot. I too like to watch it.My fave is "In the kitchen with David" and the beauty days,of course. Don't worry about the shoes ,you have to wear what your comfortable in.Thank you again. Keep up the good work.

I am *cracking up* Chastising a sense of humor because of AGE??? If you have to lose that just because you reach a certain age, then I'm definitely NEVER growing up ;) The internet is a funny place! It's the comments that pick things apart that let you know "You've made it girl!!" :)

But for the love of God, please, next time you show those ug-uh-lee feet, please be wearing some hot 6 inch stilettos. You do have a reputation to maintain!! How can we take anything you say about wearing make-up seriously when you not only have ugly shoes, but LAUGH about someone noticing them.

I got a good chuckle and am still wearing a silly grin! Just came to see what Hard Candy blush to pick up and got a good laugh instead (I got Living Doll, not the newer one, but I'm pretty happy with how glowy it is, so I'll try to pick up the other next time. Thinking it will make an awesome highlight!)

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